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Friday, May 19, 2017

What I've Learned about Business and Marketing, and How You Can Work From Home

So now that you know a little backstory on what I do and how I make money, I'm going to talk to you about a few things.

I am ALL FOR vehicles that help others fill those financial gaps. I don't care if you see that vehicle in the form of a direct sales company, like AdvoCare or Herbalife, or if it's jewelry like Stella & Dot, or beauty companies like Younique or Rodan + Fields.... it doesn't matter!
Find something you BELIVE IN and run with it.
For me, it was AdvoCare. I love health and wellness and I love the results I get from products and how amazing they make me feel.
If you love something else, AWESOME! I will NEVER push AdvoCare on anyone, nor will I ever say a bad word about someone trying to better their life and family through a direct sales company.
These companies are designed to help ease the financial burden, provide extra "fun money", or help pay the bills every month.

With that said, there ARE wrong ways to do it.
-Blowing up your newsfeed with XYZ is one of them. A good rule of thumb is 1 out of every 5 or 6 posts can be about your company.
Don't do it more than that. That's the fastest way to lose your audience and the easiest way for people to get annoyed with not only YOU, but the product you're selling- EVEN IF THEY'VE NEVER EVEN TRIED IT!
-Direct sales jumping is another way.
Like I said, pick something and stick with it. People need to see you are serious about the product, that you are a product of the product, and that you're not just hopping on the next bandwagon that comes along. This means don't jump ship on one thing and move to the next just a few weeks later.
Give it time and effort- IT IS A BUSINESS! If you're working it like a business, it WILL PAY you as a business!
-Plug into your leaders and mentors. Learn from the people that have gone before you and have been successful. Most direct sales companies focus on self improvement, something that is ESSENTIAL for entrepreneurs!
READ ALL THE BOOKS YOU CAN!
I recommend starting with the following:

-How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
-Top 10 Distinctions Between Millionaires and the Middle Class by Keith Cameron Smith
-Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert T. Kiyosaki
-#Girlboss by Sophia Amoruso
-The Heart of Leadership by Mark Miller

The upside to direct sales is that the business plan is already laid out for you- all you have to do is GIVE IT 110%!

I am also ALL FOR other ways to earn additional income, like starting your own business, with your own product.
Find something you love, something you're good at, and find a way to monetize it.
Are you good at making bows? Awesome, make a bunch, market the crap out of them, and open an Etsy store.

Do you know how I started learning about marketing? When I had the old blog I reached out to people on Etsy asking if they would donate items so I could give them away when I hit certain follower milestones on the blog.
By doing this, I was automatically helping out the Etsy store owner, by giving them free advertising on their products, but I was also giving people an incentive to follow my blog.
One of the first people I reached out to was Vanessa at Ruffles With Love.
She was making workout tanks in her spare time, she also had a full time job. I asked her to donate a few tanks and she then began getting a lot of orders because I was promoting her products. She began offering me a discount code, so my readers could get a discount on her products, and by default she could track how many people were coming to her from me.
Fast forward to today, and that little side gig Vanessa had, has now turned into a full time job for her. She has also recently opened up her own online boutique, as well.
No, it's not because of me, she did that on her own, I'm simply sharing what can happen when you market correctly!

I did this with another company you may recognize as well, Kiki LaRue.
The owner, Becka, reached out to me several years ago. At the time, she was running her store out of her house and just starting out.
She has now grown to having an online store, a store front boutique and is opening several more in different locations.
She has EXPLODED over the years, because she marketed her brand like a mad woman.

These are a few of the things I began to pick up when I was writing my blog.
Like I've said, I didn't know people even got paid for blogging. I didn't ever expect that to happen or know it was possible.
But once I got laid off from my job in the corporate world, I began thinking "how can I monetize what I'm already doing?"

No, that's not greedy, IT'S BUSINESS.

I was already sharing products I was taking and loving with people via social media. Sure, I made some extra money through ads on my website and affiliate links, but I began to think bigger.
Companies were reaching out to me like crazy wanting me to promote their products. In the beginning, I did it for free. I thought, "cool, I'll link to your store for a free shirt", or whatever.
But once I began to put it in perspective, I was getting the crap end of the deal.
I was basically advertising for companies for free. They were getting thousands of dollars in product orders because people were buying from my recommendations, and I was getting, what, a free t-shirt/product?
I began sending out a media kit and charging for posts promoting products.
I'd only promote the products I loved, because I knew that's how I'd gained trust from my readers in the beginning. I didn't want to start shelling out some slim tea or whatever, just for a buck.

Don't sell yourself short.
Know your worth.

THAT'S BUSINESS.

Once you begin thinking like an entrepreneur, the possibilities are endless.

If you're looking to earn extra money from home and you already have a product, I recommend reaching out to people with followings. Ask to send them a product in exchange for them posting. What's the worst they can say, no?
When you do this, realize some of them may have caught on and will now send out a media kit, charging you for posting. It usually goes- people with a larger following can charge more.

Host giveaways, ask for product donations from people, telling them you will promote their product in your giveaway, which gives them free advertising. This will help grow your following as well.

Ask for a coupon code on their products for your readers/followers. That way the company can track how many people you are sending their way.

GAIN THE TRUST OF YOUR FOLLOWING.
Don't sell them crap you would't personally use or love.
It basically all boils down to this:Take care of people, and they'll take care of you.

Anyone can earn income from home, we all have talents or things we're good at. You've just got to find a way to monetize it!

If anything, I hope this post helps you take that leap of faith and gives you the belief that YOU CAN DO IT, TOO!